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MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL
November 3 - 10

Join more than 100,000 pleasure seekers who visit Melbourne to celebrate Australia’s most famous horse race.

By Georgia Rickard and Paul Robinson Published: 06 November, 2017

Experience the flash, finery and fanfare of the Melbourne Cup Carnival as horses from around the world race for a stake of $6.2 million prize money. Sport, fashion, food and entertainment share the spotlight and the eyes of the world are on Melbourne. So dress up, sip your champagne and hope that you pick a winner.

Fast Facts

Melbourne Cup highlights

THINGS TO DO

Experience a city-wide partyYou’ll never have experienced anything quite like the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Each year, the entire city comes alive with celebration for the seven-day duration of the carnival. The festivities attract more than 100,000 racing fans to Melbourne, and virtually every bar, restaurant, cafe, shop and department store gets into the swing with a Cup-inspired event. Cup culture is so ingrained that the entire state enjoys a government-declared public holiday on Melbourne Cup Day.

Head to Flemington RacecourseThe epicentre of the action is Flemington Racecourse, just six kilometres (four miles) from Melbourne’s city centre. Home of the Victorian Racing Club, Flemington is the most famous racecourse in Australia. It was here that the first Melbourne Cup was held in front of a crowd of 4000 punters, in 1861. Today, the 2.3-kilometre (1.4 mile) track continues to play host to this famous race, although capacity has swelled somewhat to 120,000-strong crowds. The racecourse is now also home to several different precincts, each with their own atmosphere, including The Winning Post Enclosure, The Birdcage, The Domain, The Nursery, The Precinct and The Park. Check out the 2017 line-up of hot bands, food and bars. To plan your day and find your way around the course, download the Flemington Raceday Guide mobile app.

Dress in black and white for Derby DayThe Melbourne Cup Carnival isn’t just about a single race – festivities overrun the city for more than a week, with four unique race days taking place over the course of seven days. The curtain raiser is AAMI Victoria Derby Day (known by locals as “Derby Day”), which took place last Saturday, 4 November. This is considered the day for racing purists, but while horses compete for the $1.5 million-plus Victoria Derby prize, racegoers create their own spectacle. Tradition dictates that spectators follow a black-and-white dress code, which well-bred Melburnians adhere to with conviction. The Park – a precinct with free entry for all ticket-holding racegoers – hosted performances from pop artists Tkay Maidza and DMA’s.

Watch Melbourne Cup ParadeThe day before the race, tens of thousands of people head to the city centre for a parade of thoroughbreds, jockeys, trainers and celebrity guests. The 2017 Melbourne Cup Parade took place on Monday, 6 November from 12pm to 2pm, starting at Swanston Street (from Bourke Street) and finishing at Federation Square. It’s family-friendly fun as a slow procession of cars — one for each entrant — carry the star jockeys and trainers set to feature in Tuesday's big race. There are interviews with high-profile jockeys, trainers and celebrities, and free entertainment with live bands. If you’re really lucky, you’ll also see a few of the mighty horses that have become part of Melbourne Cup folklore.

Dress to impressMyer Fashions on the Field at Flemington is one of Australia’s largest and most prestigious outdoor fashion events, with racewear enthusiasts from around the world flocking here to compete for a piece of the $400,000 prize money. Fancy frocks, sleek suits and some of the world’s innovative, sometimes outrageous, hats are on show for the annual competition. This year, both competitors and spectators can also take advantage of the Cosmo Glam Pit in the fashion enclosure, offering complimentary goodies, social media photo ops and a “beauty refresh” service, all courtesy of the team at Cosmopolitan magazine.

Celebrate Melbourne Cup DayThe jewel in the crown, Melbourne Cup Day is held on the first Tuesday of November each year – this year on 6 November. The day is a state-wide public holiday and almost all of Australia tunes in for “the race that stops a nation” at 3pm.

Only four horse races in the world offer a bigger prize money purse than the Melbourne Cup — $6.2 million this year — and punters will invest more than $300 million betting on the outcome. Watching some of the finest thoroughbreds in the world streak down the straight to the finish line is a sight you’ll never forget, but the general festive atmosphere extends across the entire day, at both the racecourse and across the city.

Spot the celebritiesThere’s as much to see in the crowds as there is on the track across the entire carnival week. Keep an eye out for the film, music and sporting celebrities who frequent areas like the exclusive Flemington Birdcage. In previous years, the Birdcage has hosted the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman, Sir Richard Branson and renowned milliner Philip Treacy OBE.

Attend Oaks DayThursday 8 November plays host to Kennedy Oaks Day, the Carnival’s traditional “ladies day”. The headline race is the $1 million Kennedy Oaks, but the action off the track is just as hot. On this day, the national women’s final of Myer Fashions on the Field is held, crowning the female winner of Australia’s fashionable race-going set. Over in The Park, musical highlights will include sets from The Preatures, San Cisco and the Bag Raiders DJs.

Feast on gourmet delights Pop-up stalls by acclaimed Australian restaurants are also a feature at Flemington during the cup carnival. Each year, menus are created by leading Australian chefs and showcase the best of local ingredients, with beverages from Australia’s top wineries and breweries. This year’s selection includes pop-ups by Dexter, 8bit, Hector’s Deli, Rice Paper Scissors and 400 Gradi. The Lavazza Aviary cafe — housed in a double-decker bus — will also be a major attraction.

Take the family to Stakes DayStakes Day is “family day” and concludes the Carnival celebrations. You’ll find numerous free activities for children and live entertainment in The Park precinct – this year including Brisbane band Sheppard in their last Australian performance before embarking on a US tour. Food stalls, cafes and kiosks will help keep your energy levels up for the day’s racing highlight, the $2 million VRC Stakes.

DON’T MISS

Arrive at Flemington early to secure your trackside seat or spot on the grassed area close to the Winning Post. Grab a course map when you arrive so you don’t miss the array of entertainment, giveaways, celebrity spotting, restaurants and bars on offer.

HOW TO GET THERE

Public transport is the most convenient way of getting to and from Flemington. Trains depart regularly from city train stations, including Flinders Street, Southern Cross and North Melbourne, direct to the racecourse. Taxis have designated pick-up and drop-off locations around the racecourse.

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